The Sunnah Way of Cutting the Nails

Sunnah of Trimming Nails

Zaid bin Arqam (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said that, 'He who does not remove bodily hair from below the navel, and does not trim the nails, and does not trim his mustache, is not one of us.' i.e. it is against our practice.

To grow the mustache below the lips is forbidden and a sin. Those who grow their nails long following fashion should be aware that this is a very serious matter and should be stopped as it is not fit for a Muslim to grow the nails, we should be representative and an example to the rest.

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that, 'Five are the acts of fitra (natural inclination): 

1) circumcision,

2) removing the hair below the navel,

3) trimming the mustache,

4) cutting the nails, and

5) plucking the hair under the arms.' 

When to cut nails

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) has said that, 'He who cuts his nails on Friday, will be in Allah's (The Exalted) protection for the following week. He who cuts his nails on a Saturday will be spared from illness, and he who cuts his nails on Sunday will have poverty taken away from him. If someone is mentally unstable then by cutting his nails on Monday, this illness will be cured. He who cuts his nails on a Tuesday will also be protected from illness. It is better not to cut nails on Wednesday as there are hadith for and against, as Imam Tahawi said, paring nails on Wednesdays can cause leprosy. To cut nails on Thursday will cure illness such as leprosy. ' 

Before Jumu'ah

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) has related that, 'The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) before going to Friday prayer would clip his nails and moustache.' 

Every fifteenth day

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) would get his nails pared every fifteen days. 

Do not exceed forty days

Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said that, 'Do not let forty days elapse without trimming the mustache and paring the nails.' 

Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) states that, 'To trim the moustache and nails and remove the hair under the arms and the hair below the navel we have been given a time to take them off, do not leave them for more than forty days (meaning trim them within forty days).' 

Method of cutting nails

'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates the way of cutting the nails: FOR THE RIGHT HAND: start of with the index finger, forefinger, ring finger and little finger, then moving onto the LEFT HAND: little finger, ring finger, forefinger, index finger, thumb and lastly the thumb of the right hand. Then to wash the hands after cutting the nails. 

For toe nails - Start with the right foot small toe and proceed until the big toe, then start with the left foot big toe and & conclude with the small toe (Semi-circle). 

Diagrams of hand & feet

EASY METHOD: - Follow the numbering on this picture.

What to do with them'

After cutting the nails and hair of the body, one should collect them all and bury them, since we all are made from soil and thus the hair and nails should be put back to the earth. (recommended, no authentic records for burring nails available in any Hadith collection)

The consequence of keeping long nails

1. There will be no blessing in your wealth.

2. You will become poor.

3. Illness will plague you.

4. Allah (The Exalted) and the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) will be displeased with you.

5. The devil sits on long nails.